Chocolate Kitchens & Cupboards

Johnny Du Preez began making kitchens in South Africa more than 20 years ago and learned all about it, from the ground up.

He found it a fascinating business and couldn’t wait to get started again in New Zealand, after he and his wife Vanessa moved here five years ago.

With the family settled in Gulf Harbour, and permanent residency sorted, Johnny and Vanessa recently opened Chocolate Kitchens & Cupboards, taking care of the whole process of making a new kitchen (or renovating an existing one) from design to installation.

When it came to finding a name for their new business, Vanessa and Johnny consulted their three children.

“We asked them what they like about kitchens, and our youngest said ‘chocolate’,” Vanessa says. The theme has been incorporated by naming different styles after luxury chocolates.

Building a kitchen is a big investment and can be stressful. Johnny aims to smooth that process, providing certainty about how the finished kitchen will look, as well as efficient and affordable solutions.

Using a 3D software design programme called Articad, Johnny works with clients to create a kitchen they can be proud of. He measures up, discusses options for layout and materials, and can then show clients exactly how the new kitchen will look in 3D.

Local contractors cut the materials to the specifications and Johnny installs and checks everything.

He is a perfectionist, who takes pride in his work.

“I take doing a good job very personally,” Johnny says. “If I’m happy with the final result, then the client will be too.”

Business Directory: Chocolate Kitchens and Cupboards